Nurses know a thing or two about staying healthy. It’s just that travel nurses may know a few more! When you count up all the hours spent driving and being on assignment, it’s safe to say that a travel nurse becomes an expert at dealing with life on the road – and namely, how to maintain good health while doing it. To give you an idea of what it takes to treat the sick and injured without becoming, you know, sick or injured, here’s some tips!
Plan Accordingly
Even before the first (or next) assignment begins, it’s a good idea for any travel nurse to research their destination. If you’re headed to Miami in the middle of June, bring sunscreen. Boston in the winter? Yup, warm jacket. While the most obvious climates are usually the easiest to prepare for, it’s that extra effort that means the difference between catching something contagious or catching up on your leisure time activities. No one with allergies wants to show up unprepared in a city with high pollen count in spring. Do yourself a favor and do the research.
Travel Smart
Once you’re packed and ready to go, remember that your trip – and your mission to stay healthy – is just beginning. One essential travel companion is hand sanitizer. From the pumps at the gas stations to the public restrooms you’ll frequent along the way, it’s the perfect remedy to germs aplenty.
Another helpful travel tip towards better health is eating well. Don’t let the convenient lure of greasy and fried fast food joints fool you, they’re a road-trippers worst nightmare. It’s not easy to burn calories while sitting behind the wheel, and if you aren’t already making plans to pit stop along the way for exercise, it’s best to stick with low-fat and high-protein snacks. Better still, these healthier foods will keep you more alert when passing through that bottleneck rush-hour traffic!
Act Fast
Now that you’re in town and officially “on assignment,” your routines for staying healthy will have to adapt to your new surroundings. If you do happen to find yourself coming down with something (and let’s face it – it’s going to happen), it’s easy to pick yourself right back up – if you act fast! When a sore throat creeps in, try an old stand-by like ginger ale or chicken soup. For the sniffles, maybe a nice hot shower helps do the trick to clear up the sinuses. Every little bit helps, and every second you save before letting a sickness linger is worth it.
By following a few simple steps, you can make your next travel nursing trip a healthy and happy experience. Better still, here in the midst of April, the only “spring fever” you’ll come down with will be the kind that boosts your energy and lifts y
